Hastings High Bridge
| Hastings High Bridge | |
|---|---|
 The Hastings High Bridge viewed from the east. |
|
| Carries | Two lanes of U.S. Route 61 |
| Crosses | Mississippi River |
| Locale | Hastings, Minnesota |
| Maintained by | Minnesota Department of Transportation |
| ID number | 5895 |
| Design | Continuous truss bridge |
| Total length | 1857 feet |
| Width | 32 feet |
| Longest span | 502 feet |
| Clearance below | 63.8 feet |
| Opened | 1951 |
| Coordinates | 44°44′47″N 92°51′10″W / 44.74639°N 92.85278°W |
Hastings High Bridge is a continuous steel through truss bridge that spans the Mississippi River in Hastings, Minnesota. It was built in 1951 and was designed by Sverdrup and Parcel. It had been scheduled to be torn down and replaced with a new bridge by MNDot in the year 2019,[1] but after the I-35W bridge collapse in Minneapolis, it was re-prioritized and started construction in 2010.
Contents |
[edit] Condition
Following the August 1, 2007 collapse of the I-35W Mississippi River bridge, the Hastings High Bridge was inspected between August 20, 2007 and August 31, 2007. An executive summary of the inspection report was released on January 15, 2008, questioning whether the bridge was capable of sustaining its 40 ton posted capacity, and calling for a load analysis to be performed immediately.[2]
[edit] The Spiral Bridge
The current bridge replaced a spiral bridge built in 1895. The spiral bridge was built because local residents wanted the bridge to end in the downtown business district, rather than bypass it.
In order to make the bridge level, a spiral approach was built on the south end of the bridge. Drivers would get onto the bridge in downtown Hastings, make one complete circle on the spiral, and then cross the river. This bridge served the community well for many years, but towards the end of its lifespan it was rusted and could only support a 4-ton load. School buses filled with children were too heavy to make the trip, so the children had to walk across the bridge while the driver drove the empty bus across.
After the new bridge was built, the old bridge was given to the city, but they could not raise the necessary funds to maintain it. The old bridge was torn down, to the dismay of local residents who felt they had lost a city symbol.
A replica of the bridge has been built and can be seen at the Little Log House Pioneer Village south of Hastings.
[edit] See also
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ Minnesota Chamber of Commerce
- ^ Frederick Melo (2008-01-15). "State releases summary of Hastings bridge inspection report; DFLers call for replacement". St. Paul, Minnesota: Pioneer Press. http://www.twincities.com/ci_7978297. Retrieved 2008-01-15.
[edit] References
- Costello, Mary Charlotte (2002). Climbing the Mississippi River Bridge by Bridge, Volume Two: Minnesota. Cambridge, MN: Adventure Publications. ISBN 0-9644518-2-4.
- Weeks, John (2005). "Hastings High Bridge, Hastings, MN". The Bridges Of Minneapolis And St. Paul. http://www.johnweeks.com/bridges/pages/ms01.html. Retrieved 2006-04-29.
[edit] External links
|
||||||||
